Are you in the half of Americans that made a new year's resolution to eat healthy? If so, how is going now that the next new year is (almost) in sight?! Eating healthy tops many New Year’s resolution lists. Meal planning is a great way to keep that resolution all year long. Here’s how planning ahead can help you eat a well-balanced diet and improve your health — including your oral health. 

It’s easy to start a meal-planning routine 

• Create a master list of your favorite meals. Let your family help. You can look up recipes, sample menus and meal-planning tools online for additional inspiration. As a general guide, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables should cover half your plate, while lean protein and whole grains should each take up a quarter of the plate.
• Pick a specific day to plan your weekly menus and shop for groceries. Remember to plan for healthy snacks that you can eat on the go. Apples, pears, celery, carrots, Greek yogurt, cheese, turkey, nuts and seeds all make great choices for your oral and overall health.

• Stick to your grocery list. It’s easy to be tempted, so avoid impulse items (or shopping while hungry!). Shopping online can help you resist temptation. Also, make sure to choose lower calorie and lower sodium versions of ingredients when possible. 
• Prepare food for the week. If you want to plan ahead even further, try preparing more freezer-friendly meals.

You — and your smile — will benefit

With the right meal plan and prepping ahead of time, you can:

Eat healier.

Stress less.

Save time and money.

Enjou a greater variety of foods. 

If you’re currently hesitant to dine out, this could be the perfect time to start a home meal plan!